DENVER - When the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) met in September to review checkoff funding proposals, State Beef Councils (SBCs) were “at the table.”

The Federation elects 10 of its directors (who represent SBCs) annually to serve on the 20-member committee. The BPOC determines how to invest funding made available by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. The Federation budget committee and executive committee determine how to allocate SBC contributions to national programs, based on SBC direction.

Through the Federation, SBCs contribute financially to the national checkoff programs of their choice. When SBCs elect to contribute funds to the Federation, the state board designates the category of funding, based on its priorities. Categories include domestic beef, domestic veal and foreign marketing. For FY 2013, the BPOC allocated just over $40.3 million to domestic and foreign marketing efforts. Through state-directed contributions, the Federation supplemented domestic beef promotion, research and education efforts by $4.9 million and domestic veal promotion by $45,000, for programs managed by the American National CattleWomen and NCBA. Through prioritized funding, SBCs contributed an additional $1.7 million to support foreign marketing efforts through projects managed by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.